Generally described, network-based computing environments provide an opportunity for users to access software services from a receiving computing device. In a typical operating environment, a receiving computing device can utilize a browser software application, to access software services remotely hosted on a communication network, such as the Internet. For example, a receiving computing device can utilize a browser software application to access a word processing software service remotely hosted by a sending computing device, such as a server computer.
In a typical embodiment, the receiving computing devices implement network-based software services by generating a software service specific user interface within the display portion of the browser software application. In such embodiments, the user is presented with various graphical controls corresponding to the browser software application and additional graphical controls corresponding to the software service specific user interface. As software services grow in popularity and complexity, the number of graphical controls presented on a user display can be confusing, especially to users accessing the specific network-based software service for the first time.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams illustrative of a user interface 100 corresponding to a network-based software service. With reference to FIG. 1A, the user interface 100 corresponds to the display generated by a browser software application running on a receiving computing device that includes a set of graphical controls 102, primarily directed to network-based functionality. The user interface 100 can also include various sets of graphical controls 104, 106, and 108 that relate directly to display controls associated with a specific network-based software service. The user interface 100 can further include a display portion 110 for displaying content associated with the specific network-based software service.
With reference to FIG. 1B, the set of graphical controls 104 can include a set of selectable controls 110 associated with a topic, such that selection of a particular topic control can display a set of additional selectable controls 112 associated with various sub-topics. Based on a selected topic 110/sub-topic 112 control, the set of controls 108 can include additional feature controls 114, 118, 122. Each feature control 114, 118, 122 can include various selectable controls 116, 120, 124 associated with each feature control. Additionally, the set of controls 106 can further include a set of links 126 that can be selectable by a user. As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the graphical controls 102-126 can be displayed with text and/or graphics (e.g., icons).
One traditional approach to providing users with additional information, such as help information, in network-based software service embodiments corresponds to the generation a second browser software application user interface that includes the additional information, such as technical explanations, frequently asked questions and the like. Although the second browser software application user interface can be displayed alongside the software service user interface, the traditional display approach does not facilitate a direct associated of the additional information to the particular display control on the software service user interface. Additionally, the traditional display approach can become deficient in allowing users to select various topics for the additional information.